Rail joint or coupling.



W. M. HAFER.

RAH. JOINT OR CQUPHNG.

APPucATmN FILED APR.4, 1916.

1,205,529. Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

WILLIAM M. HAIEER, or CAMBRIDGE, onro.

RAIL JOINT OR COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed April 4, 1916. Serial No. 88,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. HAFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Guernsey and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints or Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in rail couplers or joints, and it has for its object among others to provide an improved rail oint or coupler in which all bolts, nuts, washers, fish plates and angle bars are dispensed with, as well as eliminating the requirement for any holes whatever in either the rail or the coupler. I provide a coupler which will prevent the rail from breaking down at the joint and which will also prevent one rail from spreading farther than the other, thus avoiding the leaving of a space for the flange of the wheel to catch in.,

The present invention has for a further object the production of a coupler which shall be capable of manufacture at small cost, durable and elficient and reliable in its operation, and easily applied and renewed if occasion require.

,It has for a further object to provide means whereby the coupler will creep with the rails, as well as protecting the wedges by covering them with a projecting portion or flange of the coupler.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view, with parts broken away and a part in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coupler body. Fig. 4: shows in perspective a pair of wedges. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a pin for use in connection with the wedges. Fig. 6 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, as on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing 1 and 2 indicate the abutting ends of two rails. 3 designates the joint plate or coupler body; it is formed with a base portion on which the base of the forms a protecting cap for the wedges, soon to be described. This provides a space or chamber 10 between the vertical wall 8, the

cap portion 9 and the'adjacent Web 11 of the rail as will be readily understood from Figs. 2 and 3. a 1

12 are wedges which in use are employed in pairs as shown, and which upon their ad jacent faces, near each end, are provided with grooves 13, as seen best inFigs. 1 and 4 to receive the pins as will soon be set forth.

These pins 14, as seen best in Figs. 5 and 6,

are slightly bulged or enlarged near their lower ends as seen at 15, for a purpose which will hereinafter be made apparent.

In practice, the coupler. is applied as H shown, and then the wedges 12 are driven 1nto the space 10 and when in place the pins 1 1 are driven into the grooves 13 of opposed wedges, when the wedges may be driven.

a little farther endwise if necessary and the wedges and pins covered and protected by the horizontal flange, 9 of the coupler as shown in Fig. 2. These pins keep the'wedges from working loose and when the pins are made of'the shape shown-in ;Figs. 5 and 6 the wedges will closein slightly as the pins are driven to the bottoms of the wedges and thus a more secure. holding of the pins is assured. It is to be understood that the wedges 12 are moved relatively to each other after being inserted in the chamber 10, to perform a wedge action.

The pins 14L may be provided with a hole 16 therethrough as seen in Fig. 5, if desired,

to receive a tool for pulling the pin.

17 and 18 are pins passed through the openings 19 and 20 in. the portions 1 and 7 respectively of the coupler and through coincident openings in the opposite sides of the base flange of the coupler and'into the space between the adjoining ends of the rails 1 and 2 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the coupler will creep with the rails. These pins may be easily replaced should they become worn. They may be secured in positi on in any suitable way, preferably by being threaded and having nuts upon said threads; cotter pins 21 also may be employed, as seen in Fig. 2.

Should the wedges work out the stay flanges 1 and 7 will serve to effectually hold the rails in place. The wedges may be easily driven back into place. The vertical portion 8 of the coupler may extend to any desired height. The wedges are long and slim and are preferably of such length as to extend at both ends beyond the ends of the coupler before they are driven into place and they may extend at both ends after they have been driven home.-

The coupler may be adjusted as follows Pull the pins 17 and 18 on both sidesof the rail between the adjoining ends of the rails,

then shove the coupler clear back to the end of the rail, then lift one of the rails above the ball of the other and drop the said rail and raise the other rail so that the coupler can slip on over the flange of the rail. Or it'can be adjusted in another way.

If an old rail is to be removed and a new one inserted in its place, shove the coupler on both ends of the new rail, lay'the" new rail,

then raise the adjoining ends of the other rails and drive the coupler up half way; then insert the wedgeslQ, then the Wedge pins 1% andthen the stop pins 17- and 18 and the cotters, and the parts are in posi tion.

' Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is 1. A coupler having flanges to embrace the base of a rail, and, upon oneside, a chamber above the flange and to one side thereof, wedges inserted in said chamber and both bodily relatively movable therein, and pins inserted between said wedges to spread them in said chamber.

2. A coupler having flanges to engage the base ot'arail, a chamber to receive wedges, wedges in said chamber and having grooves upon their adjacent faces, and pins-inserted in said grooves and having enlarged lower sen ds 3. A couplerhaving flanges to engage the base of a rail and a chamber to receive wedges, wedges inserted endwise into said chamber, means inserted between said wedges, and means interposed between adjacent ends of'the rails and through said coupler to prevent creeping of the coupler except with the rail.

4. A coupler having a chamber to receive wedges, wedges in said chamber, means'for spreading the wedges, and means-interposed tween said wedges,-and means interposed. between adjoining ends; of rails, said last named means being passed through the flange and base of the coupler.

In-testimony whereofI afiix my signature 7 in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M; HAFER.

WVitnesses:

M. L. SPAID, LAURA NELSON.

Copies of fthis patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington; D.'G. 

